Rise of the Banished She-Wolf (Evelyn) novel Chapter 56

**Where Falling Leaves Whisper Stories Written In Silence by Ryn Jace Reed**
**Chapter 56**
**Evelyn**

Once Lily and Jack had departed, I turned my attention back to the restaurant’s cozy interior, ready to lend a hand to Lydia.

As I approached, I couldn’t help but notice the subtle limp that persisted in her right leg, a lingering reminder of an old injury that had never fully healed. Her silver hair, neatly pulled back into the same simple bun she had worn for as long as I could remember, framed her face, which bore deeper lines than I had recalled. It struck me how time had a way of slipping past unnoticed, only to reveal itself in moments like these, where I felt the weight of our years pressing down upon us.

Watching her work with such quiet determination, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a pang of guilt for not visiting more frequently. “Lydia, please, sit down and rest,” I urged softly, gently taking the cloth from her hands. “Let me finish this for you.” I guided her toward a nearby chair, ignoring her protests about being perfectly capable of managing on her own.

After quickly wiping down the remaining tables and stacking the dishes, I knelt beside her chair, feeling the need to do more. “Let me help with that,” I offered, gesturing to her leg. “Grandmother taught me how to ease the pain.”

With delicate care, I let my fingers work gently on her ankle, applying pressure to specific points, channeling a small portion of my healing ability into her tired muscles. I could feel the tension slowly melting away beneath my touch, and I watched as relief washed over her weathered face, a sight that warmed my heart.

A soft sigh escaped Lydia’s lips. “Just like Isabel. You have her healing touch.” A moment later, her eyes sparkled with mischief. “That Alpha who came with you— is he your mate? His energy is quite powerful.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks at the thought. “Devon? No, we’re… complicated. How could I explain what we were when I didn’t fully understand it myself? I met him when he was injured. I helped him, and since then, he’s helped me more times than I can count.”

“The strongest bonds often start that way,” Lydia replied, her knowing smile making me wonder just how much she could see that I was oblivious to.

As we moved toward her modest living quarters behind the restaurant, Lydia’s expression shifted to one of seriousness. “There’s something you should know about your family, Evelyn. Your uncle—the one no one speaks of—died in a territory dispute. Ethan is actually his son, not Jonathan’s, though no one dares mention it.”

The revelation hit me like a physical blow, as if the very ground beneath my feet had tilted. “But my father—Jonathan—he’s always treated Ethan better than me, his biological daughter.” The bitter irony burned in my throat as I grappled with this revelation. All those years of feeling like an outsider, of watching Jonathan favor Ethan, and now this hidden truth emerged like a ghost from the shadows.

“Blood isn’t always thicker than guilt,” Lydia said cryptically, her voice low and cautious. “You should be careful of Ethan.”

She moved deliberately to an old trunk in the corner, her movements slow but purposeful. “These are the property deeds I managed to buy back after your father had to sell them when his business failed.” She pointed to a faded blue folder. “This one was where Isabel lived before marrying William. I quietly recovered them over the years. I hope you’ll restore them someday.”

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